red rock lakes - Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Centennial Valley Savannah Sparrow

Mia McPherson2022-03-14T17:39:50-05:00July 26th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows|Tags: adult, back view, Greasewood, Passerculus sandwichensis, perched, Savannah Sparrow, sparrow, sparrows, summer, valley|

Some of the birds I see often while at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana are Savannah Sparrows and I love to photograph them there.

Chip, Chip, Chipping Sparrow

Mia McPherson2021-06-03T04:19:32-05:00June 1st, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Chipping Sparrows, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, Chipping Sparrow, road side, rocks, sparrow, sparrows, Spizella passerina, spring, valley|

I photographed this little Chipping Sparrow yesterday evening at the Upper Lake campground at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

Mountain Bluebird chick in Montana

Mia McPherson2024-03-28T19:26:16-05:00January 16th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: bluebird, bluebirds, chick, fence, juvenile, Mountain Bluebird, perched, Sialia currucoides, spring, valley, young|

This young Mountain Bluebird chick was photographed last summer at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana.

Flying Wild And Free Again – The Barn Owl Was Released Yesterday

Mia McPherson2023-04-25T10:08:13-05:00October 1st, 2015|Categories: Barn Owls, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana|Tags: Barn Owl, birds of prey, Montana Raptor Conservation Center, owl, owls, rehabilitated, rehabilitation, release, rescue, rescued, Tyto alba|

I wanted to let all of my viewers know that yesterday the Barn Owl I helped rescue on September 9th in the Centennial Valley was released at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

A September Storm over Henry’s Lake And An Inspirational Thought For The Day

Mia McPherson2016-12-07T12:07:20-06:00September 6th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Environment, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: autumn, fall, John F. Kennedy, storm clouds, stormy sky|

This image was taken last year at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge looking east towards Henry's Lake, Idaho.

Tree Swallow Defending Its Nest Photo In Memory Of A Great Friend

Mia McPherson2024-03-25T06:19:04-05:00July 7th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: adult, defensive, flight, flying, great friend, in memory, male, nest box, Rohn McKee, spring, swallow, swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, valley|

I'm posting this Tree Swallow image that was taken at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in memory of a great friend, Rohn McKee.

Posts from the Past – Some of My Favorite Locations

Mia McPherson2016-12-07T12:09:15-06:00July 26th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Flat, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: bird photography, Daggett County, nature photography, Pinellas County, wildlife photography|

Today I am focusing on older posts that have some of my favorite locations in them starting with Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Foraging Savannah Sparrow

Mia McPherson2022-03-14T17:47:39-05:00July 12th, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows|Tags: adult, Centennial Valley, foraging, lake, lakeside, marsh, Passerculus sandwichensis, Savannah Sparrow, sparrow, sparrows, valley|

Earlier this month while I was in Montana I spent time photographing some Savannah Sparrows at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

Male Cassin’s Finch

Mia McPherson2021-03-12T15:07:27-06:00May 17th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Cassin's Finches, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, Cassin's Finch, finch, finches, Haemorhous cassinii, male, perched, railing, wooden railing|

I've only had one opportunity to photograph Cassin's Finches so far and that was in the small town of Lakeview where the headquarters of Red Rock Lakes national Wildlife Refuge is located.

Male Tree Swallow in flight

Mia McPherson2024-03-25T05:33:20-05:00March 24th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: adult, flight, flying, male, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, spring, swallow, swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, Utah, valley, wet meadow|

This male Tree Swallow in flight image was taken two years ago at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and for some reason I had not processed it until now.

Willets in Beaverhead County, Montana

Mia McPherson2021-04-25T10:08:14-05:00July 29th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Willets|Tags: adult, bathing, calling, immature, juvenile, lake, lake shore, lakeshore, lakeside, plumage, shorebirds, stretching, summer, Tringa semipalmata, Tringa semipalmata inornata, valley, water, Willet, willets, wing, wing lift, young|

These images were taken at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana. There were two Willets; an adult and a juvenile, on the shoreline of the lower lake that delighted me.

Lincoln’s Sparrow in Montana

Mia McPherson2020-09-08T15:21:36-05:00July 17th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Lincoln's Sparrows, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, Beaverhead County, birds, fence post, fencepost, Lincoln's Sparrow, Montana, perched, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red Rock Lakes NWR, sparrow, sparrows, wooden post|

This Lincoln's Sparrow was photographed last month at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, the spring green leaves in the distant background sure don't compete with the subtle beauty of this sparrow.

Franklin’s Gulls ~ Feeding Frenzy

Mia McPherson2021-07-25T11:11:23-05:00March 5th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, feeding, feeding frenzy, flight, flying, foraging, Franklin's Gull, gull, gulls, hovering, Leucophaeus pipixcan, spring, valley, wet meadow|

Last year while I was camping and photographing at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge I saw a feeding frenzy that involved Franklin's and California Gulls in the flooded grasses and Sagebrush flats near the Lower Lake.

I’ve added a new favorite location

Mia McPherson2022-06-11T06:48:51-05:00September 21st, 2010|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Locations, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes NWR|

You can find my information and photos of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge here

Tree Swallows Have Migrated Into Northern Utah

Mia McPherson2024-03-25T06:57:17-05:00March 25th, 2024|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, High Uintas, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: adult, aspen, aspens, close up, female, forest, male, mountains, natural, nest, nest box, nesting, nesting box, nesting cavity, nesting season, perched, Populus tremuloides, portrait, Quaking Aspen, spring, Summit County, swallow, swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, tree trunk, Utah|

Over the weekend, I read on Facebook that Tree Swallows have migrated back into Northern Utah for their breeding season. I am so excited about that news!

World Water Day 2023

Mia McPherson2024-02-02T05:37:24-06:00March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, American Coots, aspens, Box Elder County, canyon, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, clouds, conifers, coots, creek, Cygnus columbianus, Fish Springs Range, flight, flock, Florida, flying, footbridge, foothills, grass, grasses, hills, ice, immature, Juab County, maple swamp, marsh, mountains, Pinellas County, pond, Promontory Mountains, rapids, reflections, river, rocks, rushing, sage, sagebrush, Sawgrass Lake Park, shadows, shrubs, sky, snow, snow-topped, spring, summer, swamp, swan, swans, trail, trees, Tundra Swan, Utah, valley, water, waterfowl, west desert, wetlands, Wigeon Pond, willows, winter, young|

Today is World Water Day. The theme for World Water Day 2023 is: Accelerate Change. Every human being on this planet is roughly 60% water.

All Storms Come To An End

Mia McPherson2023-03-22T07:01:23-05:00November 12th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah, West Desert|Tags: blue sky, clear sky, clouds, dissapating, Fish Springs Mountain Range, marsh, mountains, ominous, Promontory Mountain Range, rain, rainy, sky, spring, storms, stormy, summer, valley, water, weather, winter|

There are times when I feel as if I am riding out a storm due to circumstances or events that are out of my control I remind myself that all storms come to an end.

Barbed Wire Death Trap – Western Meadowlark

Mia McPherson2024-02-18T06:31:58-06:00October 15th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: adult, autumn, barb wire, barbed wire, death trap, deceased, desert, fall, fence, fencing, foothills, hazard, hung up, meadowlark, meadowlarks, mortality, sky island mountains, Sturnella neglecta, Western Meadowlark, wildlife friendly fencing options|

Over the past month I thought about whether I wanted to share images and tell the story of this Western Meadowlark that lost its life because of a barbed wire death trap and finally decided that the story needed to be told.

In Every Sunset There Is A Promise And A Gift From Nature

Mia McPherson2021-09-12T04:27:39-05:00August 23rd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: clouds, evening, evening light, grasses, hills, lake, Lower Lake, lower lake campground, marsh, mountains, sky, sunset, water, wetlands|

Throughout my life I have liked to think that every sunset has a promise and a gift from Nature in it. The promise that the sun will rise again in the morning.

Female Brown-headed Cowbird In A Serviceberry

Mia McPherson2024-05-14T15:39:47-05:00June 17th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Morgan County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Amelanchier utahensis, berries, blackbird, blackbirds, brood parasite, Brown-headed Cowbird, canyon, chick, cowbird, cowbirds, female, fence rail, fledgling, fruit, immature, juvenile, Molothrus ater, mountains, Passerculus sandwichensis, perched, Savannah Sparrow, serviceberry, sparrow, sparrows, Utah Serviceberry, young|

Three days ago one of the birds that the Song Sparrows chased off was an adult female Brown-headed Cowbird that landed on a serviceberry in front of me.

Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

Mia McPherson2021-03-09T04:18:29-06:00March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, breeding grounds, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, chicks, conifer, dark morph, defecating, female, hawk, hawks, immature, intermediate morph, juvenile, light morph, male, nest tree, nesting tree, perched, pooping, post, raptors, rousing, sky, storm, stormy, sub-adult, subadult, Swainson's Hawk, wooden post, young|

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Immature Swainson’s Hawk In Changing Light

Mia McPherson2021-04-15T03:51:25-05:00September 9th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, changing light, close up, eye on the sky, flight, gravel road, hatch year bird, hawks, Hawks of Montana, immature, ISO, lift off, lifting off, light morph, low light, pose, raptors, Swainson's Hawk, variable|

This photo session with an immature Swainson's Hawk reinforced how as a bird photographer I need to not only be keenly aware of changing light it also showed how I may need to quickly change my settings to get the photos I want.

Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018

Mia McPherson2021-06-19T04:31:46-05:00March 6th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: Antigone canadensis, breeding plumage, early migrant, Franklin's Gull, gull, gulls, Larus delawarensis, Leucophaeus pipixcan, marsh, molting, Ring-billed Gulls, Sandhill Crane|

While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I have ever seen one there before.

Adult Sandhill Crane At The Edge Of A Summer Storm In Montana

Mia McPherson2022-07-14T05:06:56-05:00February 4th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sandhill Cranes|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, clouds, crane, cranes, foraging, grassland, light, sandhill, Sandhill Crane, sandhills, shadows, storm, valley|

I was drawn to this photo because of the light on the Sandhill Crane and the grasses it was foraging in plus how that contrasts with the dark shadows on the mountains behind the bird.

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